The Brief
- New data shows four-year graduates earn 60% more than those with only a high school diploma, yet a veteran college advisor says families are making the process far more stressful than it needs to be by starting too early and obsessing over prestige.
- College advisor Beth Heller Gelles says colleges look at the full transcript in context, meaning a 3.7 earned in honors courses tells a very different story than the same GPA from standard classes — and no fractional bump will change an admissions decision.
- Rather than spreading themselves thin across many activities, applicants who go deep in two or three genuine passions over all four years of high school stand out most — and have a much easier time writing compelling application essays.
OAKLAND, Calif. – National College Decision Day just passed — the annual milestone when high school seniors officially commit to where they’ll spend the next four years.
And according to new data from the College Board’s Education Pace 2026 report, the investment is worth it: four-year college graduates now earn 60% more than those with only a high school diploma, and nearly 40% of bachelor’s degree holders are earning six figures by mid-career.
But getting there is another story. …